[Nathaniel] Green, who commanded the garrison,
immediately ordered them under arms, and sent express to
General Washington at the town of Hackensack, distant by
the way of the ferry = six miles. Our first object was to
secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the
river between the enemy and us, about six miles from us,
and three from them. General Washington arrived in about
three-quarters of an hour, and marched at the head of the
troops towards the bridge, which place I expected we should
have a brush for; however, they did not choose to dispute it
with us, and the greatest part of our troops went over the
bridge, the rest over the ferry, except some which passed at
a mill on a small creek, between the bridge and the ferry,
and made their way through some marshy grounds up to the
town of Hackensack, and there passed the river. We brought
off as much baggage as the wagons could contain, the rest
was lost. The simple object was to bring off the garrison, and
march them on till they could be strengthened by the Jersey
or Pennsylvania militia, so as to be enabled to make a stand.
We staid four days at Newark, collected our out-posts with
some of the Jersey militia, and marched out twice to meet
the enemy, on being informed that they were advancing,
though our numbers were greatly inferior to theirs. Howe,
in my little opinion, committed a great error in generalship
in not throwing a body of forces off from Staten Island
through Amboy, by which means he might have seized all
our stores at Brunswick, and intercepted our march into
Pennsylvania; but if we believe the power of hell to be
limited, we must likewise believe that their agents are under
some providential control.I shall not now attempt to give all the particulars of our
retreat to the Delaware; suffice it for the present to say, that
both officers and men, though greatly harassed and fatigued,
frequently without rest, covering, or provision, the
inevitable consequences of a long retreat, bore it with a
manly and martial spirit. All their wishes centred in one,
which was, that the country would turn out and help them
to drive the enemy back. Voltaire has remarked that King
William never appeared to full advantage but in difficulties
and in action; the same remark may be made on General
Washington, for the character fits him. There is a natural
firmness in some minds which cannot be unlocked by trifles,
but which, when unlocked, discovers a cabinet of fortitude;
and I reckon it among those kind of public blessings, which
we do not immediately see, that God hath blessed him with
uninterrupted health, and given him a mind that can even
flourish upon care.